How to update your address with the council when you move home

Updating your address with the council: what you need to know

When you move home, one of the most important organisations to notify is your local council. Your address affects council tax, voting registration, and other local services — and getting it wrong can lead to incorrect bills or missed correspondence.

This guide explains how to update your address with the council, what information you’ll need, and when to do it.

Do I need to tell the council when I move?

Yes. You should always notify:

• Your current council that you’re moving out
• Your new council that you’ve moved in (if you’re changing areas)

Even if you’re staying within the same council area, you still need to tell them your new address.

What the council needs your address for

Updating your address helps ensure:

• Your council tax is billed correctly
• You’re added to the electoral register at your new address
• You receive important letters about local services

Failing to update your address can result in:

• Incorrect council tax charges
• Missed reminders or notices
• Problems proving residency later

How to update your address with the council

1. Find your local council’s website

Each council manages address changes individually. To start:

• Search for your council’s website or head here to identify your council if you don't know which: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council
• Look for “change of address” or “moving home”

Most councils offer an online form.

2. Update your council tax details

You’ll usually need to provide:

• Your old address
• Your new address
• Your move-out date
• Your move-in date

If you’re moving to a different council area, you must complete this process twice:

• Once with your old council
• Once with your new council

3. Check your council tax account

After submitting your change:

• Keep confirmation emails or reference numbers
• Check your final bill from your old address
• Look out for your first bill at the new address

This helps catch any errors early.

What about the electoral register?

When you update your address with the council, you’ll usually be prompted to register to vote at your new address.

If not, you can update the electoral register separately online. This is important because:

• It helps maintain your credit score
• It ensures you can vote in elections

When should you update your address?

Ideally:

• As soon as your move date is confirmed, or
• Within a few days of moving in

The sooner you update your details, the less likely you are to receive incorrect bills or reminders.

What if you forget to update your address?

If you don’t notify the council:

• Council tax bills may continue to go to your old address
• You could miss payment deadlines
• You may need to backdate changes later

This can usually be fixed, but it takes extra time and effort.

A simpler way to manage address updates

Notifying the council is just one of many address changes you need to make when moving home.

MoveHelper helps you manage multiple address updates in one place, so you can keep track of what’s been done and what’s still outstanding — without repeating the same information over and over.

Final checklist for council address changes

Before you move on, make sure you’ve:

• Notified your old council
• Notified your new council (if applicable)
• Checked your council tax bills
• Updated the electoral register

Taking care of this early can save a lot of hassle later.

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